Flush valve unit



Jan. 16, 1940. D, LANGDQN Re. 21,323

' FLUSH VALVE UNI T Original Filed Sept. 22, 1951 21 g H 2a 2 7 c 13 1--/ A 2 5 2 14 P I 4 AM B 29 30* F .1. 3;- J

O I c s 34/ M 5 31 E /Y ,P

z a 9 13 d 2 INVENTOR avfifwy rn ATTORNEY Reissued Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES 21,323 FLUSH VALVE UNIT Jesse D. Langdon, Los Angeles, Calif.

Original No. 2,074,698, dated March 23, 1937, Serial No. 564,340, September 22, 1931. Application for reissue March 9, 1939, Serial No.

Claims. (Cl. 137-93) The present invention relates to valves and aims to provide novel and improved measuring valves ,for water, or other fluid, which may be used for permitting either a manually determined or predetermined flow of fluid, or which may be used for a flush valve for toilets.

The other objects of my invention are,

First, to provide direct mechanical flush valve 10 opening means combined with pressure opening means.

Second, to provide pressure closure means combined with direct manual and mechanical closure means, for a valve mechanism.

Third, to provide self cleaning and positive valve seats.

Fourth, to provide a tapered off and slow closure to cause the toilet bowl to refill where used for a flush valve.

go Fifth, to provide several means to control the timing and amount of fluid passing through the flush valve during automatic closing operation.

Sixth, to provide a flush valve which is nonsyphonic, acting as a check valve when closed.

Seventh, to provide a flush valve which is nonsyphonic when held open for operation.

Eighth, to provide an air inlet around the flush valve outlet and prevent water from being force I according to the exigencies of its usewithin the I scope of what is claimed.

' The drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the entire flush valve assembly. I I

' Fig. 2 is a detailed drawing of a non-syphonic unit adapter nut and'flexible expansion member for attachment to flush valve units.

Fig. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional'viewof pis ton valvemember.

Likenumerals indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawing- The parts comprising the 60 valve are'valve body I having a cap 2, an inlet 3, an outlet 4, a cylinder 5, a valve seat 6, having a sharp seating edge 1, adapted to seat against flexible material surrounding piston 8, which is preferably of rubber molded around a metal core having a special shape and includes flared" or beaded extremities confined in their entirety to and surrounding the two ends of said piston 8.

The exposed metal shoulder 9 of the piston 8 is adapted to rest against tapered shoulder l0 of the valve seat 6 to limit the inbedment of sharp seatingedge 1. It will be noted that the above mentioned flared extremities of the piston are shown in Fig. 3. When the piston of Fig. 3 is inserted in a cylinder the flared extremities L are compressed within the cylinder of the valve to insure a snug fit around the ends of the piston 8. Referring again to Figure 3 of the drawing, the shape of the narrow beaded piston illustrated there is vital to the proper continuous operation of the valve. The flare-L around the bottom and 15 the flared beaded extremity around the top of the piston 8 form a channel space around the entire wall of the piston 8 between the flared extremities and a clearance space P is formed between the points designated by M, N if the piston is inserted into a cylinder. The flared portion S is extended forwardly beyond the face of -O at one end of the piston, is not backed up by'the relatively hard and solid body portion of the piston 8 the wall of which is backed by the core 0, 5 which provides a solid backing to create the relatively solid body portion in conjunction with the I material moulded around said-core O. When the piston 8 is inserted into the cylinder as of Fig. 1, it is impossible for the externalwall of the piston 8 next to the flared extension portion S, L, to take the contour of the cylinder 5 because the material of the flared portion is stretched immediately next to the beaded ends and forced radially inward due to the apex L of the flare S being compressed by the wall of the cylinder 5, therebeing no solid body disposed inward of'the flared portion S to resist the compressingefiect of flare L within the cylinder 5. Thus, a pronounced clearance space P is formed immediatelynextto the flare L be- 40 tween the piston and cylinder walls.

Diametrically enlarged beaded lip portions are provided around the peripheral extremities at both ends. of. piston 8. These lip portions are compressed into the cylinder 5, tending to flexthe '45 wall of the piston 8 away frornthe wall of said cylinder 5 between the two diametrically enlarged lip portions of piston 8, so that the friction between the wall of piston 8 and the wall of cylinder 5 is diminished and the friction at the beaded extremities of said piston 8" is increasedto seal said piston 8 against the by-passing of liquid between the wall of said piston and thewall of said 'cylinderi. .165

means of adjusting nut l8 and lock spring IS, the

handle assembly being held in alignment by handle cowl 28, which has an intumed rim-to limit the tipping of handle l1 and is mounted on cap 2, the threaded extension 2| of cap 2 forming a fulcrum shoulder on which handle flange H normally rests. Flexible packing sleeve and cushion 22 surrounds relief valve guide 23 and stem of relief valve member I i. The flexible packing sleeve and cushion 22 has an enlarged passage at the point where relief valve member ll enters valve guide 23. It will be noted that the valve cap 2 and the parts assembled in a unit therewith are removable from-the valve as a unit, adding greatly to the accessibility of the valve.

Through the upper side of the inlet passage nearthe inlet 8 is a threadedly inserted by-pass packing nut 24, holding in place the. by-pass packing 25 surrounding bY'f'DRSS adjusting plug 26, which is above by-pass adjusting pin 21, extending through a by-pass opening into the passage from inlet 3 and capable of acting as a check valve. Surrounding the internal circumference of inlet 3 is a clearance groove D to allow free flow of fluid and a full waterway.

Surrounding the outlet opening 4 is an adapter nut 28 integral'with a suspension spider having circumferential air inlet openings or ports 29 and an outer rim threadedly inserted into the air inlet tube 83. The integral nut and spider 28 is attached to circumferential tube 33, which tapers to a restriction waist 3| into which is extended'reduced outle insert 82 around which is an air passage deflned by arrows A and B, arrow A shows the direction of the air flow when the outlet 32 is subject to vacuum exerted thru the valve body i and inlet 8. Arrow B shows the direction in which the air may be drawnby the friction and velocity of the water passing downwardly through the outlet 22. The assembly described in this paragraph comprises the anti-syphonic unit 28.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

To open the valve the handle I1 is provided with oscillatory connections and may be moved laterally in any direction radial to the axis formed by stem 18, the fulcrum formed by the circumferential rim H of handle II resting on threaded extension 2| acting as a fulcrum base for lever formed by handle II. The longitudinal pull exerted through the medium of handle stem l8 held in place by adjusting nut l8 located in recess at the top of handle I'I, lock spring i8 serving to prevent nut i8 from turning, exerts a pull upon the universal connection formed by link I! which is adapted to allow movement of handle i1 longitudinally, circumferentially and pivotally; being provided in lower end of handle l1 and the top of cap 2 to house the link l5. Link II is pivotally connected to the upper end and stem of relief valve II, which extends through cap 2 and the port in center of piston 8. The lift pin it serving as mechanical means to lift flexible piston 8 from valve seat 8 when handle I1 is manipulated. The flexible packing sleeve and cushion 22 serve as means to exert a tension to close the valve mechanically by automatic expansion of said packing sleeve 22 after said sleeve 22 has been manually compressed by the manipulation of handle l1. This is of material benefit in case of low water pressure.

When the handle I1 is oscillated in any lateral direction the valve is opened. The handle connecting link l5 providing a universal joint allows for universal lateral movement. When the handle is released closure of the valve is automatically accomplished by the flow of fluid through by-pass passage J into cylinder 5 above piston 8. An automatic mechanical closure is also accomplished through the medium of packing sleeve 22, which is made of resilient compressible flexible material exerting a constant tension against relief valve seat l2, the sharp edge of which is imbedded in the bottom of relief valve recess C in piston 8, thus causing the final closure of the valve. The valve may be closed manually by sustained pressure against the end of handle l'l directly toward the relief valve member H and piston a.

l Adjustingnut I8 provides means to adjust the distance between top of handle I! and the piston 8 and valve seat 6 by limitingthe lift of piston 8 when the valve is opened.

It will be noted that the lifting pin I4 is drawn against the lower side of the piston 8 during the oscillatory operation of handle ll exerting a positive manual stress against piston 8 to open the valve.

The sharp seat of relief valve i2 is a self cleaning feature as any foreign particles are forced to one side or the other of the sharp seat l2, which is imbedded into the bottom. of recess C of flexible piston 8, and this imbedment is limited by the metal shoulder formed around relief valve opening IS. The sharp edge 1 of valve seat 6 operates in the same manner as the sharp edge of relief valve l2, the metal shoulder 8 of insert limiting the depth of embedment. When the relief valve member II is raised in recess C the pressure above piston 8 is relieved faster than it can be built up through the medium of by-pass passage J, thus assisting in the opening of the valve by the volume and pressure of fluid entering through inlet 3 and exerted against the piston surface exposed to pressure surrounding the valve seat 6. When the valve is closed the sharp edge I is embedded in the flexible piston 8 insuring a leak proof closure.

It has been found that the flexible packing sleeve 22, due to its compressed state tends to force piston 8 to its seat and will exert sufficient expansive force to cause suflicient water to bypass around the piston when the by-pass is closed, so that the valve will eventually close by the force thus exerted. When the valve is operating on gravity flow of water the valve is opened manually and mechanically and is closed mechanically by the expansion of the packing sleeve 22 acting against the piston in such a manner as to draw fluid through the by-pass J when the bypass is open.

By-pass pin 21 is moved up and down constantly by the flow of water when the valve is operating, thus tending to keep the by-pass passage surrounding the pin 21 clear of any deposit.

Flexible packing sleeve 22 also acts as a check valve to allow air to enter the cha nber formed between the cap 2 and the piston 8 within cyl-- inder to prevent the piston 8 from *eing lifted uess I through air e n. Thus it will amenthat ing sleeve 22 away from the stem of relief valve member II and guide 23 to allow atmospheric pressure to enter the pressure chamber of cylinder 5. On the other hand, pressure exerted around the outer wall of packing sleeve 22 causes it to be tightly compressed around relief valve member II and guide 23.

If any flush valve not provided with anti siphon features is held open during the time when the water main is drained of water the contents of the bowl may be drawn into the water main and cause contamination thereof. Any type of flush-valve isin reality a pressure, mechanically or automatically operated check valve. Therefore, it the valve is opened at the time that the water is being drained from the supply line, or water main, it is necessary to break any siphonic effect by the introduction of air between the water level in the bowl and the valve. The antisyphonic unit 35 as hereinafter described, has been devised to take care of such conditions, and may be built integral with the valve or in a detachable combination as illustrated.

The operation of the antisyphonic unit is as follows:

When the valve is installed in an upright position, and is open at a time when a suction is created in a reverse direction through inlet 3, air passes in the direction shown by line and arrow A, but when water is running through the valve in a normal direction, as indicated by arrow M, then air is drawn through the external inlet tube'33 surrounding adapter nut 28, thence through restriction waist 3i, surrounding the reduced outlet extension 32, which is extended preferably slightly above or it may be extended below the narrowest point indicated as restriction waist 35.-

When a. flow of water is backed up by the resistance set up within the connections between the toilet "bowl and the valve or for any reason rises into the nonsyphonic unit 32, the annular, flexible member 34 acts as a positive check valve being forced across the circumferential air inlet 29 by internal pressure the peripheral edge being forced radially outward and upward against the inner circumference of tube 33.

It has been discovered that if the valve. is

installed in a horizontal position water tends to leak back through the air passage 29. To prevent .this leakage the flexible expansion member 34 has been provided. The member 34 is ,held in position between the reduced outlet insert '32 and adapter nut 28.

The annular flexible expansion member 34 is preferably molded of very soft rubber or maybe made of fabric, leather or otherflexible material suitable to offer as little resistance as possible to the passage of air and is bell shaped in form. I The air passing through the anti-siphon unit 'in the direction indicated by line .and arrow A is not interfered with by member 34 but, when water is forced upward by back pressure, flexible member 34 is expanded tightly against the wall of external air inlet tube '33, thus preventing water from Air can enter through relief air can be freely admitted through antisyphonic unit 33 but water cannot be expelled through the passage admitting air. The movement of fluid through .the outlet of theflush valve-unit will therefore beacon to expand or contract flexible member as the case may be. we

, Coincident with the purposes of my invention set forth, the objects of my invention are attained as follows:

The handle" l'l provides manual opening means combined with pressure. closing means as de-' scribed.

Mechanical closure is accomplished by the expansion of flexible packing sleeve 22, while a pressure exerted on the end of handle I! causes a manual closure of the valve.

The sharp edges of valve seats provide self cleaning and positive valve seats.

The tapered rim of thepiston concentric to the valve seat v3 causes a tapered off closure by gradual approachof the concentric tapered portion of piston 8 toward valve seat B. 4

The timing may be adjusted for the flow of more water or fluid through the valve by limiting the opening movement of piston 8 through the adjustment of adjusting nut l8 and handle I! by allowing a greater movement of handle before valve starts to open.

A syphonic action when the valve is open is diminished by, the provision of an air inlet'29 concentric to the valve outlet.

Additional anti-syphonic provision is made for I the valve when in'closed position by the provision 'thereof, its operation and provisions for meeting the purposes set forth, I claim:

1. A combination manual non-siphonic valve comprising a body having an inlet and outlet, a valve member disposed across a valve seat between said inlet andoutlet and having attached thereto a valve stemextending through said body, and

including manual operating means attached to' said stem, a. flange extending radially outward and forming an annular spider comprising an air inlet element surrounding the outlet of said valve,-

-an air inlet tube depending from the periphery of said spider, a centrally disposed tubular -extension formed beyondjthe outlet of said valve and being concentric to said air inlet tube, said tubular extension supporting an annular check valve memberadapted to'close said air inlet element when pressure is exerted within said air inlet tube,-and to allow the ingress of atmospheric pressure when 'said valvejis subjected to vacuum during the period when the valve is held open by said manual operating means. I

" .2. For use with a combination manual non- ,siphonic' valve, afnon-rjsiph'onic unit comprising a circumferential air inlet surrounded-by an external air.inletitube,*lincluding means to allow air to enter around the outlet end of said valve, and positive check valve means to prevent the egress of water through said circumferential inlet.

3. .In an anti-siphonic valve unit, a. combination comprising a body having an inlet and outlet,

' a handle located in continuous alignment with piston toward said cap whensaid handle is ossaid valve let, a piston in said cylinder, said relief valve member extending through said piston, a sharp valve seat around the seating edge of said relief valve member adapted to be forced against said piston by an end thrusragainst said handle, said relief valve adapted for limited embedment in the material of said piston by a metal rim extending around the inside of a relief valve port in said piston, an element on the end of said relief valve member located on the opposite side of said piston, said element adapted to contact the outer end of said relief valve port to pull said cillated laterally, a valve seat around said outlet extended into said cylinder, and a recess in the end of said piston, said inlet entering said cylinder at one end of said piston forming one side of a pressure chamber in said-cylinder, a self cleaning by-pass assembly disposed in a passage between said inlet and said pressure chamber and comprising a loose pin having a head thereon adapted to act as a check valve member to close the said by-p'ass passage, the outlet from said valve having an anti-siphonic unit appended thereto comprising a flanged attaching nut having a radially extended air inlet portion attached to an air inlet tube disposed in concentric relationship to said attaching nut, a check valve member disposed across said air inlet portion between the outlet of said valve and said air inlet tube, said anti-siphonic unit providing means to break a vacuum between the anti-siphonic valve unit and connections therebeyond.

4. A valve of the nature described, comprising a body having an inlet and outlet, an expansion chamber in said body, a movable valve member at one side of said expansion chamber, a by-pass communicating with said expansion chamber from the inlet side'of said valve, a valve seat between said inlet and outlet, a-port communicating with said expansion. chamber through said valve member, a relief valve member to close said port in said valve member, said reliefvalve member having a stem extending through one side 0 a flexible sleeve surrounding the stem of said re of valve, said flexible sleeve forming a packing compressible by fluid pressure against the stem of said relief valve and guide to prevent the egress of fluid. from said valve, said flexible sleeveadapted to be retracted by vacuum to allow ingress of airv under atmospheric pressure into said expansion chamber, a lever attached to said relief valve stem, said lever adapted to be moved laterally to open said valve and to be pushed endwise to close said valve. v

5. A flush valve unit as of claimii in which'the stem extended through one side of said body isdisposed through a guide opening in a valve-cap forming an air inlet passage around said stem, said cap closing one end of the expansion chamber of said valve, the, flexible 'sleevesurrounding said guide and opening and" the stem of the-relief valve and being compressed between the portion of said relief valve and the inside of said valve cap subject to being-retracted fromaround' also:

said guide when the expansion chamber formed between the piston of said valve and the valve cap is subjected to vacuum, said flexible sleeve being compressed about the stem of said relief valve and against said guide to prevent the egress of fluid pressure when exerted within said expansion chamber. v

6. In combination, a valve comprising a body. an inlet port and an outlet port in said body. a pressure chamber between said inlet and said outlet port in said body, a by-pass passage communicating with said inlet port and said pressure chamber, a piston disposed in said pressure chamber, a relief valve member extending through a port in said piston, said relief valve member loosely attached through said port in said piston, said relief valve extending through said pressure chamber and the wall of said pressure chamber: said relief valve having an enlarged seat portion adapted to seat across said port in said piston, an elastic member disposed around the stem portion of said relief valve extending through said pressure chamber and the wall of said pressure chamber, said elastic member extending across an opening and a relief valve guide in the wall of said pressure chamber, a link attachment connected to said relief valve stem extending through the wall of. said pressure chamber, said link attachment attached to a handle, said'handle adapted to be moved laterally in any direction to open said valve, said valve adapted to be closed by manual pressure against the end of said handle.

7. A piston for flush valves comprising a re-enforcing core of relatively hard materialandan outer portion of relatively flexible material, said piston having a substantially cylindrical peripheral wall terminating in outwardly flared lips, said lip portions in the entirety, and also those parts of said peripheral wall closely adjacent thereto, being beyond the ends of said core, whereby when the piston is inserted in a cylinder of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the main body portion of the piston the lips are forced inwardly by the wall of "said cylinder and said portions of the peripheral wall of the piston closely adjacent to said lips, being unsupported by the reenforcing core, are also forced inwardly, resulting in a clearance space between I the piston and cylinder walls closely adjacent to said lips.

' 8. A piston having a relatively solid cylindrical body portion and having faces at the ends of said body portion, an outwardly flared lip at an end of said body portion, the outward projection of said lip being of sumcient extent and being sumciently abrupt that when the piston is inserted in -a cylinder of a diameter substantially'equal to the diameter of said body portion the flared lip is forced inwardly beyond the end of the body portion and that portion of the cylindrical body wall immediately adjacent the lip is also carried inwardly beyond the end of thebody portion therecomprising abruptly flared lips or beads at the a -marginal edges of said cy drical body portion. 10. For use with a valve of e nature described, an anti-syphonic attachment comprising a leakproof flexible, bell-like member, held in position surrounding a reduced outlet insert, said leakproof, flexible member being disposed between a valve outlet and a circumferential air inlet tube surrounding the outlet of said valve, said flexible member being. composed of rubberlike material adapted to be compressed away from the wall of said circumferential air inlet tube when the outlet passage of said valve is subjected to a vacuum; said leakproof, flexible bell-shaped member adapted to be forced against the internal wall of the circumferential tube surrounding the outlet portion of said valve when fluid pressure is ex erted within the passage formed by the outlet passage of said valve in conjunction with the described non-syphonic attachment.

11. For use with a valve of the class disclosed by the descriptive matter hereof, a non-syphonic unit comprising an external air inlet tube disposed concentrically to an outlet tube portion of said valve, a space between said outlet tube portion of said valve and said external, concentrically disposed inlet tube, a bell-shaped, flexible member disposed across said space between said outlet portion of said valve and said external, concentrically disposed air inlet tube, said bellshaped, flexible member adapted to be collapsed by the ingress of air pressure through saidspace between said outlet tube portion of said valve and said external, concentrically disposed air inlet tube; said bell-shaped, flexible member adapted to be expanded by internal water pressure across said space between said outlet portion of said valve and said external, concentrically disposed air inlet tube.

12. For use with a valve of the class described, a non-syphonic device, comprising an expansible and collapsible member disposed within an air inlet consisting of an annular space between an external, concentrically disposed air inlet tube surrounding the outlet portion of a valve of the class described, said expansible and collapsible member subject to expansion by internal pressure to close said annular space and said air inlet tube, said expansible and collapsible member capable of collapse by external pressure to open said annular space comprising said air inlet tube.

18. For connection to a valve of the kind described having an inlet and outlet, a non-syphonic unit having elements tor attachment to a valve and forming a cap and air inlet comprising a perforated top portion circumscribed by an annular tube, a check valve closure element seating across said air inlet disposed between the valve outlet and said annular tube to close said air inlet to the egress of fluid from within said tube outwardly thru said air inlet.

14. For connection to the outlet of a valve of the kind described, a non-syphonic unit comprising an attaching nut having a spider extending circumferentially therearound and constituting an air inlet element between said nut and an external air inlet tube surrounding and depending from the nut and spider, an annular check valve member disposed inside said air inlet tube to seat across said air inlet and being cooperable with fluid pressure therebelow exceeding atmospheric pressure to prevent the egress of fluid through said air inlet element whereby air is allowed to enter said air inlet tube to break any vacuum created therein.

15. An anti-siphon valve unit comprising an air inlet tube surrounding a second tube forming a. valve outlet extension, the upper side of both tubes being attached together at the top by means of an annular flange having air inlet ports extending therethrough and adapted to be attached to the outlet of a valve of the nature described, said second named tube projecting for a distance into the first named tube, the ported annular flange adapted to admit air under atmospheric pressure in a direction parallel with and between both 01 the described tubes and around the end of and radially into said second named tube when vacuum is exerted therein, said second named tube clearing said first named tube at all points sufliciently to provide a free passageway for air around the end of and into the second named tube, said tubes being positioned so that fluid passing outwardly from said second-named tube will draw air through said air ports, the area of the passageway between the end of the second named tube and the inside of the first named tube being equivalent to at least the area of the opening through the second named tube.

JESSE D. LANGDON. 

